Seminars

The faculty and staff of UIC/IJR are deeply committed to teaching. The training program has comprehensive seminars addressing a wide range of educational topics related to child and adolescent psychiatry and the practice of medicine. Weekly seminars are a half day of protected time in collaboration with the Rush University Medical Center Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program. This decades-long collaboration is a favorite amongst our fellows and allows for enhanced collaborative learning and access to a wide range of expertise. There are additional seminars with the interprofessional trainee group to refine skills that span the field of childhood mental health. Seminars are continually reviewed by both teaching faculty and fellows and created with a foundation in adult learning theory. Teaching emphasizes active learning and engagement.

First-year didactics
The first-year didactics provide an overview of basic issues needed to transition from working primarily with adults.  Seminars build on skills developed in residency with a focus on childhood mental health. Course include:

Child Psychiatry Basics
Understanding and Treating Disorders in Childhood
Introduction to Child Psychopharmacology
Normal Development 
Developmental Psychopathology
School Consultation
Child-focused Family Therapy
Psychiatry and The Law
Psychological Testing
Cultural Psychiatry 
Systems of Care
Basic Neurobiology

Multiple psychotherapeutic modalities are formally taught including psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavior therapy, family systems therapy, parent-child interaction therapy, parent management training, and dialectal behavioral therapy.  Additional formal trainings on trauma informed interventions and diagnostic testing for ASD are provided.  Fellows from both years participate in a workshop on wellness and board review during seminar time.

Second-year didactics
Second year didactics are considered advanced and rely more on discussion and utilization of clinical knowledge and practice to share and expand clinical skills. Courses include:

Realities of Practice after Graduation 
Advanced Psychopharmacology
Forensic Psychiatry
Advanced Neurobiology 

Fellows continue their psychotherapy learning in advanced psychodynamic and cognitive behavior therapy seminars.  To augment neuroscience learning, fellows participate in the interactive national curriculum from the National Neuroscience Curriculum Initiative. Fellows also participate in group boards preparation throughout the year to support their study and career development.

Research and Academics
During both years, fellows actively participate in the weekly "Journal Club", that is organized by the chief fellows with topics chosen by the fellow group.  Fellows also join in teams to present annual Patient Safety conferences.  There are opportunities to engage in patient safety and problem-based learning activities within the department at large.

Fellows will engage in a supported scholarly research project during their fellowship.  There is protected time in both years to develop basic research skills and engage with a chosen mentor on a preferred project.  

Department Grand Rounds occur weekly and often topics in child and adolescent psychiatry are presented as well as topics that emphasize our departments dedication to innovation in psychiatric care and bridging the gap of health care disparities in the community. At the end of the year, the second year fellows will have the opportunity to present their own grand rounds as a team.